


She knows just what it takes (to make a pro blush)

by lilraven



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 03:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13627971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilraven/pseuds/lilraven
Summary: Vanessa goes to a gay bar with Robert. The idea does not sit well with Charity.





	She knows just what it takes (to make a pro blush)

“I mean, a gay bar? Really? What does she think she is, twenty?” Charity scoffs, pulling another pint and rolling her eyes at Chas.

 

“Well you can’t blame her for wanting to check out the scene. Besides, Robert’s been under a lot of stress. I think it’s nice of her to take him out,” Chas shrugs and leans over the bar, smiling at Daz, who is getting less than zero of Charity’s attention as she absentmindedly pushes the pint towards him and snorts.

 

“Right, because this is all for Robert’s benefit, I’m sure.”

 

“Am I detecting a hint of jealousy, miss Dingle?” The smirk on Chas’ face is unbearable, and Charity makes a face, dodging the finger aimed at her ribs.

 

“So you and Vanessa, you’re like an – an actual thing now?”

 

Charity snaps her head around to meet Daz looking at her with a meek look on his face.

 

“And you’re still here, why?”

 

Daz cowers back from the bar, pressing his lips together and scuttling to the furthest table in the pub he can find. Charity rolls her eyes again, but the reproachful look on Chas’ face makes her falter a bit.

 

“What now?”

 

“Nothing, nothing. Just. Maybe don’t take your jealousy out on our customers, yeah?” Chas gives her a smile that doesn’t reach anywhere near her eyes, and turns her back on any argument Charity might offer. So she hunches over the bar, itching for the next person to come up and offer her irritation a target.

 

Out of all the people in the world, of course the next person to need a top up is Rhona. Charity tries for a big smile, and almost manages not to let the question slip out of her mouth as she hands Rhona her pint.

 

“So, what’s this I hear about Ness going out tonight?”

 

She hates the look of empathy on Rhona’s face almost as much as she hates the way her voice goes all needy and weak when she mentions Vanessa.

 

“Look, Charity, she just wanted to take Robert out for a breather, is all. If you have a problem with it, you should talk to her, not me.” Rhona’s understanding smile goes straight to Charity’s chest, and she grimaces, her voice cold as ice.

 

“I don’t have a problem with it, I don’t care what she – ” But Rhona’s halfway across the pub already, and Charity knows there’s really no point. Rhona knows. Everyone knows.

 

It’s two hours later when Charity ambles up to Chas, a strained grin on her face.

 

“Chas, babe – “

 

The face Chas makes is almost enough to shut her up, but Charity pushes on, because there is no way she can focus on work a second longer.

 

“Do you mind if I skip out?” She goes for what she hopes is a pleading look on her face.

 

“Are you going after Vanessa?” The look on Chas’ face turns amused, if not slightly impressed, which makes Charity straighten her back and jut her chin out.

 

“Maybe.”

 

She won’t meet Chas’ eyes, not before she feels a hand land softly on her shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze.

 

“I really shouldn’t let you off this easy.”

 

“Chas, please. You have full authority to be a bitch about this later, okay?”

 

“Go,” Chas gives her a nudge towards the door, “Get your girl.”

 

* * *

 

 

For whatever godforsaken reason, Charity finds herself in the shortest mini skirt she’s worn in what must be decades, queuing to the new gay club that’s opened a few weeks back in Hotten. Her whole body shivers as she breathes in cigarette smoke floating from some nearby revelers, cursing the way Vanessa Woodfield makes her feel. Her legs are already aching, and she’s nowhere near to properly dressed for early February weather in her barely-there skirt and leather jacket. Just as a particularly loud group of barely of-age teens is let in, she spies a familiar face by the window and strides over, a predatory smile spreading on her face.

 

“Robert Sugden, a fag in hand. Never thought I’d live to see the day.”

 

“Charity! Oh, thank God.”

 

Charity tilts her head at the greeting, snapping up the cigarette and taking a long drag, only to puff out a cloud of smoke smack into Robert’s face.

 

“Was that really called for?”

 

“Well, you looked far too happy to see me,” Charity winks at him, her voice dangling somewhere between sweet and snarky, “Where’ve you put Ness?”

 

“She’s inside, drunk off her face. Which is why it’s very lucky that you’re here,” Robert smiles at her indulgently, and Charity gives him a warning look that has absolutely no effect, “Because as her girlfriend, it’s surely your responsibility to get her home safe.”

 

“Oi! First off, she is not my girlfriend,” she squints at the huff that comes from his lips unbidden, “And secondly, what are you going to do? Take a cab home and leave us here?”

 

“Well, now that you’ve mentioned it, yes.”

 

“No, you don’t – Robert!” she exclaims at his retreating back, “Robert! You get back here —“

 

But he’s long gone, and quicker than she realizes, Charity is pulled into the club with the next batch of drunken twenty-somethings.

 

The air is thick with the scent of sweat and alcohol, and Charity really can’t believe that Vanessa has spent hours in this place – her tolerance for wandering eyes and lewd comments is already wearing thin and she’s barely in the door. As she makes her way to the bar, a young woman winks at her, and all Charity can do is offer an apologetic smile and head further in, hoping it won’t take too long to find the object of her pursuit. Her feet take her to the bar, and unsure of how exactly she should go about this, she orders a shot of tequila that reverberates through her body, pulsing from her toes to the tips of her fingers. She turns toward the dance floor, determined to not spend an extra second in this hell hole.

 

When she finally spots Vanessa, red hot fury springs through Charity’s veins as she takes in the scene in front of her. There’s a scantily clad brunette draped over Vanessa’s shoulder, her lips brushing Vanessa’s ear as she whispers something to her at a tall table by the dance floor. Charity strides over, but stops in her tracks when she sees Vanessa push the woman away, holding her at an arms length by her shoulder. Charity sneaks closer through the crowd until she’s practically pressed against Vanessa’s back, going unnoticed thanks to the blaring music and endless sea of drunken people grinding away on the dance floor. She gets there just in time to hear Vanessa sigh and drop her head in defeat.

 

“Look I’m sorry, I –” Vanessa’s words are slurred, and she lifts her head in her best effort to meet the stranger’s eyes.

 

Charity can’t stop staring at the back of Vanessa’s neck, pressing even closer to make sure she hears her next words.

 

“I don’t even remember your name, I’m sorry… The thing is I’m not – I’m not free. Well, technically I guess I am, but I’m really not. It’s complicated. The point is,” Vanessa takes a breath, shaking her head quickly and swaying on her feet a bit before continuing, “The point is, I think I belong to someone. And you’re better off finding someone that’s free, yeah?”

 

It doesn’t really take much convincing, and Charity sighs in relief when she sees the young woman nod and spin around to head back to the dance floor, Vanessa long forgotten. She lays a hand on Vanessa’s shoulder, and feels her grow tense beneath her touch. Vanessa turns around under her gaze, and when she meets her eyes, the look in them turns from weary to awed to soft.

 

“Charity?”

 

“Hey babe.”

 

“What – how are you here?”

 

Charity moves her hand from Vanessa’s shoulder to her face, her thumb running a slow line along Vanessa’s cheekbone, the smile on her face growing soft.

“I didn’t really fancy the idea of you out here without me.”

 

Vanessa swallows hard, and the way her eyes shine makes Charity pull her into a kiss, despite her better judgment, despite how drunk she knows Vanessa is. She eases out of the kiss slowly, her hands tangled in Vanessa’s hair, stroking down her scalp. To Vanessa’s credit, her gaze is only a tad cross-eyed when she meets Charity’s, her face drunken but solemn.

 

“I didn’t fancy me here without you either.”

 

Charity chuckles softly at that, pulling Vanessa flush against her body and brushing her lips against her ear, “Shall I take you home, then?”

 

She feels Vanessa smile against her neck, a pair of soft lips pressing against her pulse point.

 

“First, dance with me for a bit?”

 

Vanessa pulls back from her, the glint in her eye irresistible in the flashing neon lights of the club.

 

“Course, love.”

 

Charity doesn’t even try to resist as she gets pulled to the dance floor and lead into a slow grinding beat, Vanessa’s body pressing against hers, the words of an all too familiar 80’s hit breathed against her neck.


End file.
